Once Upon a Time
by Tinque Abelle
Summary: Usagi longs for Starfight/Seiya, Starfighter/Seiya longs for Usagi ...


Once Upon A Time 

By: Havana

Disclaimer: "Once Upon A Time" is copyrighted by Havana, Sailormoon and all related characters are copyright by Naoko Takeuchi. This was not written for profit.****

Usagi sighed as she sank into Mamoru's arms, staring mindlessly at the flashing images on the television. The air was warm but she still snuggled into her lover's arms like an innocent child hiding from the dark. Everything was tranquil and soothing, but somehow, there seemed to be a most vicious battle deep inside her. She felt a disturbing void that was never there before; Mamoru's touch was not as tender as it once was. This feeling made Usagi very anxious and ashamed. After all, she had everything now, right?

                "Usa-ko? Usa-ko, are you all right?"

                Slightly startled, she looked up at him. "What?"

                "Are you alright? You've been awfully quiet this evening."

                "I'm just tired …" Her eyes returned to the television not paying attention to the story at all. She kept thinking about someone else -- even though she repeatedly tried to focus on her precious lover, her fiancé, her Mamoru, she could not help but permit that someone else to race across her mind, and for that, she felt a deep disgrace. 

                Meanwhile, nestled in a never-ending sea of grasses lied Starfighter, whom wore an expression of being lost in depthless thought. Her slim figure was clad in a tiny black uniform that she was require to wear to fulfill her job as a Sailor Soldier. The grass tickled her bare legs and tummy, but she did not smile. Just lost. The day was one of the most gorgeous days she has seen and yet she was troubled? Only recently had this planet been revived -- this was her home planet. She loved it. She loved the Princess Kakyuu she served. She loved her life, yet she so missed Earth, a planet she had inhabited once upon a time and her human incarnation as Seiya Kou. She missed singing, she missed the fame, she missed her friends there. Most of all, she missed her darling odango-chan: Usagi Tsukino. How she longed for her warmth, which she was sure that could rival the sun that was beaming down against her skin right now. Should she have felt this distressed? After all, they were on Earth for one sole purpose: to find their princess … and now, they did! So what was the problem? Besides, Usagi loved Mamoru, not her. Starfighter ran her fingers through her black ponytail. If only she could have expressed her feelings for her as her true self, instead of her disguise as Seiya Kou.

                A shadow invader her gaze and she quickly rose, kneeling down with her forehead inches from the ground. It was Princess Kakyuu, smiling her typically peaceful smile. "Hello, Starfighter, " she greeted with a spine-tingling gentleness.

                "Hello, Princess," she answered, standing up and returning a small smile.

                "How are you today?"

                "I'm … fine …"

                A pause. "I've been watching you since morning, Fighter. You look as if you miss somebody."

                Starfighter just stared at her, not knowing how to respond. Her eyes dropped onto the grass below.

                "Did you love her?" The Princess asked in a soft tone, stepping closer to her. 

                Starfighter felt her heart thumping wildly and felt highly uncomfortable. While she felt a deep love for odango-chan, she also held an undying love for her Princess as well. Inside, she could feel her heart splitting into two … this was not the first time she was felt this way. "She … was like a light to me. She helped me find you, after all … she was--"

                "Did you love her?" she repeated, in the same kind voice.

                Her cheek flushed. "Yes." She kept staring at one blade of grass, swaying back and forth and back and forth …

                A hand touched her face. Starfighter closed her eyes, smiling at the feeling of her Princess's warm hand upon her cheek. "Fighter …?"

                "Yes, Princess?" Her close were stilled closed, her smile still intact …

                "I command you to see the girl that you love so much."

                "W-what?" Eyes flung open. "Princess? Are you sure?"

                "You love her so much, Fighter, I can see it in your eyes. I want you to see her again."

                Starfighter could feel tears seeping from her eyes. "Princess …do you truly mean that?"

                Without a word, she smiled her smile and Starfighter suddenly felt herself falling, falling, falling -- she was falling so quickly that it felt like she was sliding out of her skin, but her feet were still on a surface … 

                … then she stopped. These buildings, these streets, these lights … blurred at first but then emerging as very familiar images. It was certain: she had returned to Earth!  Looking downward, she noticed that she had been stripped of her Sailor Soldier uniform and in their place was a loose blouse of crimson color and slim, black pants. Was she Seiya Kou again? She ran her hands down her torso and to her astonish, she remained a female. Good. She had hoped that it would be that way.

                The moon was so splendid tonight. Usagi observed it with utmost inspiration, laying down on her bed with Mamoru's arm wrapped around her. He was deep in slumber, and for once, Usagi was thankful. She wanted to watch the full moon alone tonight, with her thoughts swirling and twirling in her head like sands in the desert on a windy night. The moonlight sparkled through a magnificent, open window. White curtains floated heavenly as the winds lifted them. Even though Mamoru was right beside her, breathing deeply, she still longed to see the one whom constantly entered her mind … she so wanted to see Seiya again. She prayed to the moonlight that she will capture one more glimpse of him … her … whatever. She quietly gasped.

                A round pebble traveled in through the window and landed onto the floor. Usagi eyed it curiously and finally approached the window  with caution when two more pebbles followed it. When she detected the culprit, she nearly gasped again. That long, black ponytail … could it be?

                "S-Seiya?!"

                "Hello, odango-chan!"

                "Seiya …" She immediately hurried downstairs, almost tripping twice. Her heart was beating so rapidly … soon enough, she was facing the invader of her dreams. She gazed into those dark, beautiful eyes …

                Starfighter chuckled. "Are you just going to stare at me?" Usagi noticed the  feminine voice she usually sported in her SailorStar form. 

                "Seiya … oh, Seiya, I've missed you so much!" She quickly began to cry. "Seiya, you don't know how much I've missed you!"

                "Missed me? Even with your boyfriend around?" She strained a lighthearted smile with mild difficulty.

                "You don't understand, Seiya, I … I've really, _really_ missed you." 

                She was taken aback by her look of seriousness. "Odango …?" she whispered, wiping away a tear from Usagi's eye with her thumb, care not to harm her in any way. "Are you okay? Odango?"

                Usagi nodded, still crying. 

                "Aren't you happy? If Mamoru's been treating you bad --" Her fists balled up.

                "No, no, it's just … I don't know. I thought I'd be happy with Mamo-chan forever, but … "

                "But?"

                "Seiya, I think I …"

                "Yes, Odango?"

                Usagi felt her throat freeze. She tried to complete her sentence but she was rendered speechless. Then, and it happened so quickly, she pecked Seiya on the lips. It had only occurred for merely a second but to each of them, time seemed to have stopped. Usagi blushed furiously and cried even more. Seiya stood there, absolutely dumbfounded, her heart speeding like crazy. "Odango, you … I thought you loved Mamoru …" She wondered why she brought him up … after all, she was madly in love with Usagi and she could have given anything to experience that kiss, even if it was swift. 

                "Seiya, I love _you_!" she blurted out, instantly cupping her mouth with her hands. 

                "You love … m-me?"

                "Yes! I love you, Seiya."

                Satrfighter's voice went up, but not loud enough to awaken Mamoru, and she grabbed Usagi's hand, placing it upon her breast. "You love _me_, even though I'm a woman, just like you? "

                Usagi felt her pillowy breast under her palm and felt a shiver jolt down her spine. 

                "I'm not Seiya Kou anymore; I am Starfighter and I am a woman, just like you. Do you still love me?"

                Usagi closed her eyes and smiled, gazing down at her hand, still held down against her breast. "You know, I've never understood how Haruka and Michiru could truly love each other. It was beautiful true love, but I thought that kind of love could only exist between a man and a woman. Haruka mentioned something about how love should overlook that kind of stuff, that love could exist between two people, no matter if they were men or women. I never understood that, really … until now." Usagi suddenly looked at her with a look of boldness. "When I had discovered that you _were _a woman just like me, I still felt something for you! I was a bit frightened at first, but … Seiya …er … Starfighter … I love you! I regretted turning you down that day. Please, _please_ forgive me …"

                Starfighter felt touched … her eyes were wide open, glimmering with tears. She loosened her grip on Usagi's hand, but Usagi's hand did not drop. "Odango … I've been thinking about you so much. I've dreamt about seeing you again, somehow. I regret not meeting you sooner. I love you, too … Usagi." She smiled. The two of them embraced each other forever; Usagi snuggled on her chest, and upon her head rested Starfighter's cheek. The two of them wept with utter joy. Neither of them wanted to let go and they didn't until faint traces of pink and violet streaked the sky; they just cradled each other and showered each other with kisses of heaven. 

                "Odango-chan …" whispered Starfighter as Usagi planted a kiss on her shoulder, blushing. "I don't want this to end …"

                "Me neither." Usagi hugged her tighter.

                "…but Usagi, you have a boyfriend," she finished very reluctantly. "Usagi, I can't be responsible for throwing your destiny off its path. I can't destroy all of your lives. Mamoru and you …" She sighed. "… You two are supposed to be together."

                "You're right …" She caressed her hands. "I wish you could stay with me, though … I know I must sound awful, acting like this when I have a boyfriend." She giggled bashfully.

                "Well, I never thought you'd be so naughty-minded." She winked and Usagi gave her a shove. They both laughed and then paused to venture into each other's eyes yet again. "I will miss you, Usagi, but at leats I got the chance to see you again."

                "I'll miss you too; please visit me sometime again … I'll wait for you by the window."

                Starfighter pressed her lips against Usagi's and their hearts fluttered again.  "At least I know you love me. That's all I'll ever need."

                "I'll never forget you!"

                "Yes, we'll be best friends forever," she laughed, clearly mocking her.

                "Hey! Don't make fun of me …!"

                "Farewell, Odango!"

                "Farewell …"

                StarFIghter lied in the grass with her Soldier uniform on again, watching the clouds chase each other. This time, she was smiling brightly and softly giggling to herself. A shadow crept over to her and she kneeled to the towering Princess Kakyuu. The princess was full of happiness and joy, as usual, and greeted Starfighter with a sunny smile. "Did you get to see the one you loved?"

                Sailor Starfighter remained down on her knee, grasping her Princess's hand and kissing it graciously. "Yes, I owe you my deepest gratitude, Princess."

                She could still feel that soft kiss that her odango-chan had left so generously on her lips …

                … once upon a time.


End file.
